Halifax Regional Police have released a photo of a vehicle used by the suspect in a murder in the city last week.

On Thursday morning officers responded to a fatal shooting on McFatridge Road in Fairview.

According to police, 38-year-old Uriah Lemar Black was rushed to hospital where he was pronounced dead.

“Investigators have determined the suspect was driving a blue Honda CRV,” police said in a media release.

Police are asking for anyone with information on the vehicle or its owner to get in touch. They’re also asking for people to come forward with any video from the McFatridge Road area between midnight and 6 a.m. on February 20.

Liberal House leader Iain Rankin says a bill his party tabled last week at Province House would create new markets for the forestry industry while helping to heat public buildings with something other than oil.

NEW YORK (AP) — Small business owners felt more uncertain about the future in January, as they continue to deal with labor challenges and lingering inflation.

According to a monthly poll of small business owners from the National Federation of Independent Business, the uncertainty index in January rose 14 points to 100 – the third highest recorded reading, after two months of decline. The NFIB said small business owners are feeling less confident about investing in their business due to uncertain business conditions in the coming months.

The response mirrors overall consumer confidence, which plummeted in February, the biggest monthly decline in more than four years, with inflation seemingly stuck and a trade war under President Donald Trump seen by a growing number of Americans as inevitable.

In the NFIB poll, optimism fell by 2.3 points in January to 102.8, but remained high. Optimism surged after the presidential election, and the index still topped the the 51-year average of 98 for the third month in a row.

“Overall, small business owners remain optimistic regarding future business conditions, but uncertainty is on the rise,” said NFIB Chief Economist Bill Dunkelberg. “Hiring challenges continue to frustrate Main Street owners as they struggle to find qualified workers to fill their many open positions. Meanwhile, fewer plan capital investments as they prepare for the months ahead.”

Eighteen percent of owners reported that inflation was their single most important problem in operating their business, down two points from December and matching labor quality as the top issue.

Labor remains a top headache. A seasonally adjusted 35% of all small business owners reported job openings they could not fill in January, unchanged from December. Of the 52% of owners hiring or trying to hire in January, 90% reported few or no qualified applicants for the positions they were trying to fill.

And fewer small businesses are planning capital investments to expand their business. Twenty percent plan capital outlays in the next six months, down seven percentage points from December.

Mae Anderson, The Associated Press

The Progressive Conservative Party of Nova Scotia is asking supporters to give donations to help it fulfil its plan for the province, a task it suggests now requires skirting the media. 

Police arrested four men and one woman in a northern Nova Scotia community after executing a search warrant that turned up a number of items including body armour and guns.

On Feb. 20, RCMP were investigating an ongoing voyeurism case when they arrested five people in a home on Highway 246 in West New Annan, north of Truro.

After, officers executed a search warrant at the home where they took cell phones, laptops, a pistol, a shotgun, a loaded rifle, ammunition, body armour, correctional services uniforms, exploding pellets and methamphetamine pills.

As a result, Leland Lance Lynds, 55, of West New Annan, has been charged with:

• Possession of Cannabis for the Purpose of Selling
• Possession of a Firearm Knowing its Possession is Unauthorized (three counts)
• Contravention of Storage Regulations (three counts)
• Possession Contrary to a Prohibition Order (six counts)
• Failure to Comply with a Probation Order
• Possession of Property Obtained by Crime
• Possession of a Controlled Substance (three counts)

Colby Alexander Keating, 28, of Central New Annan, was charged with:

• Failure to Comply with a Probation Order
• Failure to Comply with a Release Order (two counts)
• Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm (three counts)
• Unauthorized Possession of a Prohibited Weapon or Restricted Weapon
• Possession of a Controlled Substance (three counts)
• Possession of Cannabis for the Purpose of Selling

Lynds remains in custody and is due in court on Feb. 26. Keating was also held and then released on conditions by the courts. He is set to appear in court on April 2.

A 66-year-old man was issued an offence ticket under the Body Armour Control Act of Nova Scotia. The other two, a 43-year-old man and a 21-year-old woman, were released on conditions.

The three are set to appear in court at a later date.

To someone who doesn’t have a lot of assets, knowing their net worth might seem pointless, but experts say it’s an important indicator of financial health, no matter how big or small the number.

“At the end of the day, it’s not about how many zeros you have, it’s really about whether the net worth you have reflects that you’re on track toward your financial goals,” said Brenda Hiscock, a certified financial planner at Objective Financial Partners.

Your net worth is measured by adding up the value of all the assets you own and subtracting your outstanding liabilities. The result gives you a snapshot of your overall financial picture.

Assets can include money in your bank account, investments, the value of your home and other properties, the cash value of a life insurance plan, the resale value of your vehicle and any pension plans.

Liabilities are essentially what you owe and can include the mortgage on your home, lines of credit, credit card debt, student debt and auto loans.

Hiscock says when it comes to your liabilities, it’s important to distinguish between good debt and bad debt.

“There’s good debt, sort of, a mortgage, student loans because a student loan can increase your future earnings potential. But what we really want to look at on a net worth statement is whether there’s credit card debt … that tends to be bad debt,” she said.

“The net worth statement helps us to really look at each piece and determine what the best way forward with them is.”

She says a typical timeline to review a net worth statement is once a year.

For a young person starting out who may have few assets, or even a negative net worth, Hiscock said there are still benefits to tracking your financial health.

“I work with quite a few young people and I do find they love seeing their net worth year-over-year. It’s motivating to them,” she said.

Tony Salgado, president of AMS Wealth, said a net worth statement can also be a wake-up call that your financial well-being is not moving in the right direction.

He gives the example of someone who gets a raise or a promotion at work, but ends up spending the extra income on dining out and other discretionary expenses instead of building up their assets.

“So even though in this situation you have someone that has more cash flow coming in, they’re spending more,” he said.

“In that case, their net worth is not going to be growing. They’re going to be decreasing their net worth. It’s important for that young person to see if they’re going in the right direction.”

For someone that wants to build their net worth, it comes down to putting more money into the assets side rather than the liabilities.

“Step by step, if we manage our discretionary spending, we improve our cash flow, we take the cash flow and invest it in either a TFSA, RRSP or an alternative investment — you’re slowly now moving your net worth in the positive direction,” Salgado said.

In addition to being a key indicator for your own use, knowing your net worth can also be crucial information for other professionals, such as a lawyer working on your will or gauging how much life insurance you may need, Hiscock said.

“For example, young people out there buying homes, and if they have a young child, life insurance is so, so important. The net worth statement can say, ‘OK well we have this much debt and if we pass away, we want to have that protected and we also want to protect our future income,'” she said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 25, 2025.

Michelle Zadikian and Ritika Dubey, The Canadian Press

TORONTO — The Canadian agriculture industry needs to expand its international exports to hold its own against U.S. tariffs and global competitors, according to a new report from RBC.

Amid the looming tariff threat, the report says Canada’s agriculture and agri-food sector is vulnerable as more than 60 per cent of its exports go to the U.S.

It argues Canada has become too reliant on the U.S. for those exports, and over the years has become a dominant supplier for American grocery stores.

For instance, about 96 per cent of Canada’s canola oil went to the U.S. in 2024, while Canada also supplies the vast majority of potash for American farmers.

As a result of the growing relationship, Canada’s agri-food manufacturing sector quietly became the country’s largest source of manufacturing, the report said. Both countries have benefitted from their strong trading relationship.

But these advantages are now in jeopardy.

Tariffs on agriculture and agri-food products will make Canada a less desirable trading partner to the U.S. relative to other low-cost producers such as China and the Netherlands, the report said.

“Food and beverage manufacturing may also struggle to maintain investment levels, as one of its biggest selling features has been its preferential access to the world’s largest market.”

On the global stage, Canada is falling behind, with rivals like Brazil and Australia gaining market share in key markets, the report said. That means there are opportunities for diversification.

The report argues that Canada should start by taking advantage of its existing free-trade agreements, which provide access to more than two-thirds of the global economy. The next step is taking advantage of new growth markets, including in Southeast and South Asia.

India is another clear opportunity, the report said, in particular for plant-based proteins, where Canada can excel with its production of peas, lentils and soybeans.

But with the right measures, the report says Canada can increase its global share of agri-food exports, adding $44 billion in export value for the sector by 2035.

“To regain market share, Canada needs to focus on innovation, investment, export-oriented infrastructure, digital infrastructure, and overseas agri-food promotion,” the report said.

The report recommends that Canada invest in innovation in the agri-food sector, as well as fix internet and cellphone access in rural areas so farmers are able to adopt the latest generation of technology.

It also recommends investing in Canada’s export infrastructure to improve turnaround times at ports, as well as marketing Canadian products more effectively on the world stage.

The report envisions Canada making big strides in growing key industries such as the greenhouse sector, aquaculture and beef.

“Moving from short-term reactionary tactics to strategic growth, Canada can use the U.S. tariff threats as a wake-up call to leverage agriculture and agri-food as a driving force for trade diversification while building Canadian self-sufficiency.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 25, 2025.

The Canadian Press

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — A Turkish national was killed and one other wounded in a shooting in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki on Tuesday, authorities said.

The survivor told authorities that the two victims had been driving in a car near the city’s long-distance bus terminal at around 1 p.m. local time (1100 GMT) when another car blocked their path and an assailant inside opened fire, police said.

The driver was wounded and was hospitalized, while the passenger was killed, authorities said. Officers searching the area found nine bullet casings.

The pair, who haven’t been publicly identified, had been living in Greece legally for about two years, authorities said. The police organized crime unit has been tasked with investigating the shooting.

While gun violence is rare in Greece, organized crime rings are known to operate in the country.

There have been several shootings attributed to Turkish organized crime groups in recent years — in one of the deadliest, six Turks were shot dead in a car ambush in a seaside town near Athens in September 2023.

The Associated Press

MONTREAL — Quebec pension fund manager CDPQ has signed a deal to buy Innergex Renewable Energy Inc. in an agreement that values the company at about $10 billion, including debt.

Under the agreement, CDPQ will pay $13.75 per share in cash for Innergex’s common shares and $25 per share for the company’s Series A and C preferred shares, plus accrued and unpaid dividends.

Innergex common shares closed at $8.71 on the Toronto Stock Exchange on Monday.

CDPQ is Innergex’s second-largest shareholder after Hydro-Québec, which holds a 19.9 per cent stake in the company.

The Quebec power utility has said it will support the deal, which will require approval by shareholders.

Innergex, which owns and operates hydroelectric facilities, wind farms, solar farms and energy storage facilities, has operations in Canada, the United States, France and Chile.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 25, 2025.

Companies in this story: (TSX:INE)

The Canadian Press

One of the 637 calls for service Halifax regional police responded to over the weekend involved a fight taking place on a city bus.

On Feb. 22, around 1:45 p.m., police were called to a Halifax Transit bus altercationin the Spryfield area. According to the investigation, the fight started at the intersection of Herring Cove Road and Dentith Road between passengers on the bus and people driving two separate vehicles.

Police said that a physical fight broke out on the bus with one person using a hammer as a weapon. The bus driver pulled into a stop at Herring Cove and Williams Lake roads. Both vehicles also stopped and people got out and approached the bus.

A person sprayed with sensory irritant into the bus and several passengers sustained non-life-threatening injuries. While the bus was evacuated the suspects ran away on foot and to their vehicles.

Officials are still looking for the suspects and the vehicles involved. One is described as a white SUV or Crossover and the other was silver.

One of the suspects is described as an Indigenous man in his 20s, with a heavy build and dark hair. At the time of the incident, he was wearing a hoodie with a pattern underneath a dark jacket.

Anyone with information about this incident, or video from the area, is asked to call police at 902-490-5020.

The day prior to this incident, police also conducted a cell phone check point at Nantucket Avenue and Wyse Road.

Officers issued eight summary offence tickets, four for using a cell phone while driving, one for no insurance, one for operating a vehicle without a valid licence, one for no registration and one for an invalid safety inspection.

On top of it police issued 14 addition tickets for speeding, improper driving, no registration and no licence.

February’s road safety theme is distracted driving, officials noted.

“Distracted driving puts you and everyone on the road at risk,” a press release reads. “We all have a role to play in keeping our roads safe.”

Refusing to obey in advance works.

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An interview with Wayne MacKay, professor at Dalhousie University's Schulich School of Law.

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Survey deadline is March 10.

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Robin Blecker is among the thousands of people on a wait-list to see a dermatologist in Nova Scotia. Blecker had a cancerous growth removed from her face last fall, and could be waiting up to a year for followup screening from a specialist.

Former residents of the historic Black community of Africville are stepping up their calls for compensation as a court action against the city of Halifax is about to enter its 30th year.

An artist in Lunenburg, N.S., is turning people’s stories of grief into beautiful works of art as a way to help them heal from the loss. Chanelle Jefferson calls it The Grief Project.

MONTREAL — Liberal leadership contenders will take the stage again Tuesday night for the English-language debate in Montreal — their last shot to confront each other in person and shake up the race.

The four candidates left in the race played it safe in Monday night’s French-language debate.

Presumed front-runner Mark Carney had his guard up and stumbled the most in French.

But none of the other candidates attacked him despite his perceived lead.

Freeland even bailed Carney out of one jam when he flubbed a comment about Hamas and the war in Gaza.

On Wednesday, Liberal party members will be able to start casting advance votes for the person who will replace Justin Trudeau at the top of the party.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 25, 2025.

Kyle Duggan, The Canadian Press

Ontario’s main political party leaders will be making multiple campaign stops today as the countdown to Thursday’s vote begins.

Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford is set to hold a news conference in Ottawa this morning before making stops in Manotick and Stittsvile and then heading to Mississauga later in the day.

Ford released his party’s official platform on Monday — just three days before election day — and it contains $40 billion worth of promises but not a full costing breakdown.

NDP Leader Marit Stiles is starting her day in London before making stops in Cambridge and Waterloo on her way back to Toronto.

Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie will spend the day in Toronto and make an announcement there in the morning.

Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner will spend a second consecutive day in Ontario’s cottage country, starting with a news conference in Huntsville.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 25, 2025.

The Canadian Press

OTTAWA — More than a quarter of Canadians — 28 per cent — consider artificial intelligence systems like ChatGPT reliable sources of information, a new survey suggests.

Among generation Z Canadians — those born between 1997 and 2012 — 41 per cent say they see AI systems as reliable information sources. That’s not far off from the 49 per cent of gen Z respondents who said they trust stories on news media websites, according to the annual CanTrust Index published by Proof Strategies.

The high level of trust in AI’s reliability among gen Z respondents appears to be driven by younger males. More than half of gen Z males polled — 54 per cent — expressed a high level of trust in search results from large language models and platforms like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini.

“Time will tell if it’s OK to trust AI. Certainly now people need to take a skeptical approach and do lots of fact checking,” said Proof Strategies chair Bruce MacLellan.

Florian Martin-Bariteau, research chair in technology and society at the University of Ottawa, said the poll results offer cause for concern because many people don’t understand how generative AI works — and many don’t know that it can give wrong answers.

AI systems don’t understand ideas and concepts the way humans do. Instead, they identify patterns in training data to make predictions, which they use to generate new content. The results can include inaccurate or fabricated information, known as hallucinations.

“They kind of guess … and many times, especially on some important question or a complex issue, they guess wrong,” Martin-Bariteau said. He said the public should be better educated about AI, including how to prompt AI systems for information.

Despite the number of Canadians who trust these systems, the survey found skepticism overall about AI systems as a source of information.

Forty-three per cent of respondents said the increase in AI-generated content would make sources of information less trustworthy, while 22 said AI would increase their level of trust in things they read or see.

The CanTrust Index asks Canadians about their level in trust in various people and institutions. The online survey polled 1,515 Canadians from Jan. 9 to Jan. 18.

The polling industry’s professional body, the Canadian Research Insights Council, says online surveys cannot be assigned a margin of error because they do not randomly sample the population.

The survey asked respondents how willing they are, on a scale of one to seven, to trust various sources to provide reliable information.

Older Canadians reported a level of trust in online news similar to that of gen Z respondents, but much less faith in results from AI large language models. Only 14 per cent of those in the boomer generation — those born between 1946 and 1964 — said they trusted search results from AI systems, compared to 27 per cent of gen Xers (those born between 1965 and 1980) and 36 per cent of millennials (those born between 1981 and 1996).

Those polled tended to report more faith in traditional news sources, with 51 per cent of gen Z and 60 per cent of boomers ranking news in newspapers and TV and radio broadcasts as trusted.

MacLellan noted the survey tracked an increase in the number of Canadians who believe AI will bring benefits to specific sectors. “People do see some advantages coming with AI,” he said.

While a year ago, 22 per cent of those polled said they trusted AI to support retail, that number had since jumped to 39 per cent in the latest poll. The 2025 poll also reported an increase in trust for AI in health care (from 27 to 38 per cent), travel (from 23 to 37 per cent) and financial services (from 29 to 35 per cent).

The survey also asked how the federal government could increase trust among Canadians.

MacLellan said the results indicate that U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats to hit Canada with sweeping tariffs and somehow absorb it into the United States could offer Ottawa an opportunity.

Nearly two thirds of those polled — 65 per cent — said the federal government could become more trustworthy by standing up to countries that threaten Canadians’ prosperity.

“We’re surprised that there’s all of a sudden a big new factor for trust in Canada, and that’s the threat of Donald Trump, and how he’s unifying Canadians and has the potential to build trust in our government and in our politicians, if they stand up to him effectively,” MacLellan said.

The conflict with the U.S. comes as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is stepping down, and with a federal election on the horizon.

“We’re going to see changes in our leadership in Ottawa this year, and it’s a clean slate and a new opportunity for building trust,” MacLellan said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 25, 2025.

Anja Karadeglija, The Canadian Press

TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwanese authorities are investigating a Chinese-crewed ship suspected of severing an undersea communications cable in the latest such incident adding to tensions between Taipei and Beijing.

Taiwan’s coast guard intercepted the Togolese-flagged cargo ship Hongtai in waters between its main island’s west coast and the outlying Penghu Islands early Tuesday, according to a statement by the coast guard.

The coast guard had earlier been notified by telecommunications provider Chunghwa Telecom that one of its undersea cables had been severed 6 nautical miles (11 kilometers) northwest of Jiangjun Fishing Harbor.

The Hongtai had been anchored in that same area since Saturday evening, the coast guard said. From Saturday until early Tuesday, authorities in the nearby Anping Port in Tainan had sent signals to the vessel seven times but had received no response. After the Chunghwa Telecom cable damage report, the coast guard approached the ship, which had begun to sail northwestward, and escorted it to Anping Port.

Taiwanese authorities said the ship’s entire eight-person crew were Chinese nationals and the case was being handled “in accordance with national security-level principles.”

“The cause of the underwater cable break, whether it was due to intentional sabotage or simply an accident, is still pending further investigation for clarification,” the coast guard said.

“The possibility of this being part of a gray-zone incursion by China cannot be ruled out,” it added.

Communications on the Penghu Islands were not disrupted because Chunghwa Telecom had successfully activated a backup cable, the coast guard said.

This is the latest in a series of incidents in recent years in which undersea Taiwanese cables have been damaged — with Taipei in some instances blaming China. Earlier this year, a Chinese cargo ship was suspected of severing a link northeast of the island.

In February 2023, two undersea cables serving Taiwan’s Matsu Islands were severed, disrupting communications for weeks.

Taipei fears China might damage its underwater communications cables as part of attempts to blockade or seize the island, which Beijing claims as its own.

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said during a regular press briefing on Tuesday that he was not aware of the issue and it did not pertain to diplomacy.

The Associated Press

BANGKOK (AP) — Shares sagged Tuesday in Asia as worries over U.S.-China trade friction weighed on the outlook for the region.

Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 lost 1.1% to 38,336.73 after markets in Japan reopened from a holiday on Monday.

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng gave up 0.6% to 23,196.33, while the Shanghai Composite index edged 0.1% lower, to 3,368.24.

Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 shed 0.7% to 8,252.50.

South Korea’s Kospi lost 0.3% to 2,637.45 after the Bank of Korea cut its benchmark interest rate to 2.75% from 3%, its third cut in four meetings as it moves to support the slowing economy.

Taiwan’s Taiex fell 1% and the Sensex in India gained 0.4%.

Trump said Monday that tariff hikes on imports from America’s neighbors Canada and Mexico will move ahead after a one-month delay. The president has openly antagonized multiple U.S. trading partners recently, threatening to raise tariffs and inviting them to retaliate with import taxes of their own that could send the economy hurtling into a trade war.

Trump has put an additional 10% tariff on Chinese imports due to that country’s role in the production of the opioid fentanyl.

Major companies have warned about uncertainty over U.S. trade policies, while the University of Michigan’s latest consumer sentiment index plunged by roughly 10% over the past month in part due to fears about tariffs and inflation worsening.

On Monday, U.S. stocks drifted lower, compounding their sharp losses from last week.

German stocks ticked higher, and the DAX advanced 0.6% after political conservatives won an election dominated by concerns about Europe’s largest economy.

The S&P 500 dipped 0.5% to 5,983.25 on Monday after flipping between small gains and losses several times through the day. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.1% to 43,461.21, while the Nasdaq composite fell 1.2% to 19,286.92.

Berkshire Hathaway climbed 4.1% for one of the market’s bigger gains after Warren Buffett’s company reported a jumped in operating profits for the latest quarter. But even there, the good news came with a bit of caution.

The owner of Geico, BNSF railroad and other businesses said over the weekend that it’s sitting on a mountain of $334.2 billion in unused cash. Such a large amount could indicate Buffett, who’s famous for buying stocks when prices are low, may not see much worth purchasing in a market that critics say looks too expensive.

Starbucks rose 1.3% after saying it would cut 1,100 corporate jobs and leave several hundred more positions unfilled as new CEO Brian Niccol tries to make it a leaner operation.

Big U.S. companies have broadly been reporting better profits for the last three months of 2024 than analysts expected, which is one of the main reasons the S&P 500 set a record before sliding at the end of last week.

On Wednesday, Nvidia, the company that’s become one of Wall Street’s most influential stocks because of what had been nearly insatiable demand for its chips, will make its first profit report since a China’s DeepSeek upended the artificial-intelligence industry by saying it developed a large language model that can compete with big U.S. rivals without having to use the most advanced and expensive chips.

That called into question all the spending Wall Street had assumed will be required for the ecosystem that’s built around the AI boom, including electricity to power large data centers.

Nvidia’s stock lost 3.1% and was the heaviest single weight on the S&P 500.

This week will also feature updates on consumer confidence and inflation, topics leading Wall Street’s agenda following last week’s slump.

In other dealings early Tuesday, U.S. benchmark crude oil gained 52 cents to $71.22 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Brent crude, the international standard, climbed 0.7% to $74.75 per barrel.

The dollar fell to 149.50 Japanese yen from 149.71 yen. The euro rose to $1.0473 from $1.0468.

Elaine Kurtenbach, The Associated Press

This is a collection of photos chosen by AP photo editors.

The Associated Press

This is a collection of photos chosen by AP photo editors.

The Associated Press

How Canada should stand up to U.S. President Donald Trump’s many threats against the economy and sovereignty of its northern neighbour was a running theme of Monday night’s French-language Liberal leadership debate.

Trump’s proposed tariffs on Canada – which he says are starting next month – as well as his insistence that Canada should become the 51st American state came up dozens of times in questions and answers at the debate in Montreal.

Mark Carney, Chrystia Freeland, Karina Gould and Frank Baylis squared off in the first of two back-to-back debates. An English-language debate is scheduled for Tuesday.

The winner of the Liberal leadership race, to be announced March 9, will replace Justin Trudeau as both party leader and prime minister.

Carney, the presumed front-runner, says Canada must leverage its resources, strengthen its own economy and increase ties with the European Union and other friendly nations to cut ties and reduce dependence on the U.S.

“We can be masters of our own domain,” Carney said.

Carney says Canada’s premiers need to be convened to work on eliminating interprovincial trade barriers to ensure Canada’s provincial, territorial and federal governments work together against Trump’s threats.

Former finance minister Freeland’s position was more combative. Calling Trump the biggest threat against Canada since World War II, Freeland says Canada must impose counter-tariffs on the U.S. – such as a 100 per cent tariff on Tesla vehicles – and create internal pressure there.

“We can stand up to him and we can win,” said Freeland, who touted her own NAFTA negotiations with Trump during his first presidency.

Former House leader Gould says Canada needs a calm leader to counter Trump’s desire to “create chaos.” She says the U.S. president respects force and that she knows how to engage with such people.

She says the federal government must help Canadian businesses enter other markets, and added she is proud of how Canadians have reacted in unison to Trump’s threats.

Former MP and Montreal businessman Baylis called Trump an intimidator and said he met many businesspeople like the U.S. president over the years.

“I can predict what Trump will do,” Baylis said, adding as prime minister he would not visit Trump in the White House but would send delegates instead.

Baylis is advocating for a trade group involving Canada, the U.K., Australia and New Zealand.

The candidates also took aim at Pierre Poilievre’s relations with Trump. Carney said the Conservate leader venerated Trump too much to oppose him; Gould said Poilievre would do whatever the U.S. president wants.

More coming.

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Three American women were found dead over the weekend in a beach resort in Belize, police said Monday, and officials were investigating the deaths as possible drug overdoses.

Belize police identified the women as 23-year-old Kaoutar Naqqad, 24-year-old Imane Mallah and 26-year-old Wafae El-Arar, who were staying at the Royal Kahal Beach Resort. They didn’t release additional details.

Housing staff attempted to contact them a number of times on Friday, after surveillance footage showed them entering their rooms Thursday night and not coming back out, police said in a statement. After staff received no response on Saturday morning, they used a master key to enter, and the women were found motionless.

The cause of their deaths remained unconfirmed. First responders said the women were found with froth on their mouths, suggesting a possible drug overdose.

Police reported no signs of forced entry or visible injuries and officers found snacks, liquids, vapes and other electronic devices in the women’s room.

Police said they were still investigating.

The Associated Press

The only daily TV news package to focus on Nova Scotians and their stories

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Several protesters were arrested Monday at the Iowa state Capitol, where shouts of “trans rights are human rights” reverberated throughout the building as Republican lawmakers advanced a bill that would strip the state civil rights code of protections based on gender identity.

Similar bills have been floated in recent years, but this year’s passed two legislative hurdles on Monday with the support of Republicans on the state House Judiciary Committee. All Democrats and one Republican voted against advancing the bill to a vote of the full House.

Several hundred protesters filled the Capitol rotunda to chant and wave rainbow flags and signs denouncing the bill. Critics testifying during the subcommittee meeting said the bill would expose transgender Iowans to discrimination.

“It tells an entire group of Iowans — our neighbors, students, coworkers and family members — that they’re not worthy of the same rights and protections as everyone else,” said Mandi Remington, a county supervisor and activist in eastern Johnson County.

Iowa’s civil rights law protects against discrimination in employment, wages, public accommodations, housing, education and credit practices based on a person’s race, color, creed, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion, national origin or disability status.

Sexual orientation and gender identity were not originally included in Iowa’s Civil Rights Act of 1965. They were added by the Democratic-controlled Legislature in 2007, with about a dozen Republicans across the two chambers joining in favor.

The current bill’s supporters say that was a mistake that incorrectly codified the idea that people can transition to another gender and granted transgender women access to spaces such as bathrooms, locker rooms and sports teams that should be protected for people who were assigned female at birth.

In a statement, House Speaker Pat Grassley said the full Republican caucus is considering the issue this year after a court decision cited the gender identity protection in civil rights code, threatening recently enacted “common sense” policies meant to protect such spaces.

Most Republican-led states, including Iowa, have restricted sports participation, and a dozen have passed laws restricting public bathroom access.

Since President Donald Trump returned to office, he has signed a series of executive orders regarding trans issues. They have barred people from changing the gender markers on their passports, and laid the groundwork for banning transgender people from military service and keeping transgender girls and women out of girls and women’s sports competitions, among other things. Most of the policies are being challenged in court.

Amber Williams, a lobbyist for Inspired Life, which advocates for Christ-centered culture, said the bill would protect women’s hard-earned right over generations “to access spaces designated to protect their dignity, privacy and safety.”

“The bill provides clarity in law, ensuring that sex-based protections cannot be overridden by fluid or subjective definitions of gender,” Williams said.

The Iowa bill would remove gender identity as a protected class and explicitly define female and male, as well as gender, which would be considered a synonym for sex and “shall not be considered a synonym or shorthand expression for gender identity, experienced gender, gender expression, or gender role.”

About half of U.S. states include gender identity in their civil rights code to protect against discrimination in housing and public places, such as stores or restaurants, according to the Movement Advancement Project, an LGBTQ+ rights think tank.

Some additional states don’t explicitly protect against such discrimination, but it is included in legal interpretation of the statutes. But Iowa’s Supreme Court has expressly rejected the argument that discrimination based on sex included discrimination based on gender identity.

If successful, this would be the first time that a state would remove existing, explicit nondiscrimination statutory protections for gender identity, according to the Movement Advancement Project.

The current bill would next move to the House floor for a vote. It also would need to advance through the state Senate before Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds could sign it into law.

___

Geoff Mulvihill in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, contributed.

Hannah Fingerhut, The Associated Press

MONTREAL — TFI International Inc. says it’s going to stay a Canadian corporation instead of moving to the U.S. as previously announced.

The company announced last week it would relocate its legal headquarters south of the border to boost U.S. investment.

Almost three-quarters of TFI’s business comes from the U.S.

However, on Monday evening the company said that after receiving feedback from shareholders, the move won’t happen after all.

TFI shares also trade on the New York Stock Exchange.

The company’s latest quarter saw profits drop amid stronger competition and weaker demand, with recent acquisitions dragging on earnings.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 24, 2025.

Companies in this story: (TSX:TFII)

The Canadian Press

Despite ongoing talks among the three countries, U.S. President Donald Trump said he still plans to implement 25 per cent tariffs on Canada and Mexico starting in March.

“The tariffs are going forward on time, on schedule,” Trump said at a White House news conference with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Trump seemed to indicate after being asked about the tariffs on Canada and Mexico that other nations would also face his planned “reciprocal” tariffs. The U.S. president said his plans to tax imports are “moving along very rapidly.”

Trump initially threatened tariffs on America’s two largest trade partners in November of last year before taking the oath of office.

He has said the tariffs are meant to get Canada and Mexico to address illegal immigration and drug smuggling, with both countries emphasizing and amplifying existing policies in ways that prevented the tariffs from being implemented as initially planned in February.

More to come

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston is backing down on proposed changes to the Auditor General Act that critics — including the auditor general herself — said would weaken the independence of the office.

Members of the Conception Bay South Fire Department (CBSFD) will participate in Wounded Warriors Canada’s (WWC) newest training program for professionals who have been exposed to trauma.

The STRENGTH Warrior program is designed to prevent burnout, manage trauma-related stress, and enhance emotional well-being among frontline workers. The program helps participants to take advantage of evidence-based training at their own pace.

Under Chief John Heffernan, the CBS department has been a leader in the country when it comes to helping firefighters deal with trauma and care for their mental health.

The department’s partnership with WWC began in 2018. As the first fire department in Atlantic Canada to collaborate with the national charity, the Town of Conception Bay South has consistently demonstrated its dedication to supporting the well-being and resilience of its firefighters, Chief Heffernan noted. The CBS department is also the first fire department in Canada to rollout the STRENGTH Warrior Program to its entire membership.

“We ask a lot of our firefighters on a daily basis as they work in situations that test their physical, emotional, and mental health,” said Chief Heffernan. “With the increasing prevalence of operational stress injuries in the fire service, we are continually looking for ways to best support our members. Our partnership with Wounded Warriors Canada presents an excellent opportunity to achieve this goal. We will continue to work to break down barriers to accessing culturally specific mental health training while reducing stigma.”

The post CBS Fire Department continuing mental health care appeared first on The Shoreline News.

Pillar to Post/By Craig Westcott

It’s been interesting to watch the politicians’ recent pleas to shop local.

The provincial and federal governments long ago stopped shopping locally when it comes to advertising and marketing. Instead, it uses the vast majority of Newfoundlanders’ and Canadians’ tax dollars to advertise with U.S. based social media platforms.

In the case of the provincial ads, some of those slick productions are seen by fewer than 300 people. By contrast, Premier Andrew Furey could reach over 20,000 people with just one ad in one edition of this newspaper. When it comes to value for money, the government would be far better stewards of our tax dollars if it advertised in local newspapers, and on local radio and television stations.

Last year, the government of Ontario headed by Rob Ford directed that 25 per cent of all advertising by provincial Crown agencies must be spent with Ontario newspapers. That policy has done a lot to reinvigorate the newspaper industry and local media in that province.

Ontario is not the only province to support its newspapers. Quebec offers a labour tax credit to Quebec newspapers to help offset the cost that publishers bear in employing local reporters and editors. The Manitoba government is also looking for ways to support print journalism.

And here in Newfoundland?

The Newfoundland government has shown no support for the newspaper industry. That’s surprising given the history our forestry, pulp and paper, and printing and publishing industries and the importance of those jobs to the provincial economy. When the government fails to share its advertising budget with newspapers on the Avalon peninsula, it’s not only ignoring those papers and their readers, but also the people who work in the woods industry in Deer Lake, and in the paper mill in Corner Brook. Call it province-wide negligence.

When the last newspaper printing press in this province closed in August, the current government moved not a finger to intervene or stave off its loss. The Premier did take a meeting with the union that represents reporters and pressmen from The Telegram but took no action to help.

There is a stream of thought that holds that politicians are glad to see local newspapers and radio stations close because it removes independent oversight and gives them more control over their message. I don’t subscribe to that view. Rather, I think the present government’s failure to support a free press is due to ignorance and neglect. The local newspaper industry has never really asked for anything, aside from a fair share of government advertising. The problem is we don’t ask very often and would be the last ones to “demand” it. Newspaper publishers and reporters aren’t the type to hold rallies on the steps of Confederation building to demand financial help or fairness when it comes to government spending on our industry. But we’re the ones who are there reporting when everyone else does it for their industries.

Judging by the way copies of this newspaper fly off the racks every week at the more than 175 locations where it is distributed throughout the Avalon peninsula, there is still a great demand for independent, printed news in Newfoundland. It’s disappointing that the premier and his MHAs don’t follow their own advice, or even follow the example of our readers, by shopping local.  

Still on the subject of local, I’ve been taking in some of the local senior hockey games lately, not as a reporter but as a fan. It really is good hockey. Many of the players are top flite athletes having played in major junior hockey leagues on the mainland. It’s fast, intense, and the teams are evenly weighted. The CBS Blues and Southern Shore Breakers have byes going into the playoffs with the CBN CeeBees, Clarenville Caribous, St. John’s Caps and the Outer Cove Marines playing off for the chance to meet the top two teams in the semi-finals. Really, any team could win the championship.

Some of my favourite memories as a boy are going to the old Memorial Stadium with my dad to watch the Caps play the Grand Falls Cataracts, or Corner Brook Royals in the old NAHA senior league. The building literally hummed with excitement and tension as the fans sat on tenterhooks following the play. The top players then were household names, as well known across the island as the biggest NHL stars.

I can truthfully say that the senior hockey players of today are as fast and as skilled as those stars of yesteryear. It’s excellent hockey and a great deal when it comes to entertainment. If you get a chance to see a game, grab a friend and go for it. It’s a great night out, and the players will appreciate your support.

Shop local.

The post I guess it’s a case of ‘do as I say and not as we do’ appeared first on The Shoreline News.

By Mark Squibb

Holyrood council earlier this month voted to submit a gas tax application in the amount of $22,637 for additional work at Kieley’s Lane

“This project originated with the replacement of both water and sewer lines providing services to Kieley’s Lane, but due to unforeseen circumstances when the infrastructure was revealed, additional costs associated with complying with new municipal regulations and engineering advice, extra costs of $19,685 plus HST, was incurred,” said councillor Steve Winsor during the January 7 public meeting.

Mayor Gary Goobie allowed such things happen from time to time, and Winsor concurred the additional costs were not altogether surprising given the scope of the project.

Council approved the motion unanimously.

The original contract was valued at $63,850, HST included.

The post More work approved for Kieley’s Lane appeared first on The Shoreline News.

Grieving mom trying to rally government and society to help the addicted

By Olivia Bradbury/Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

In 2023, 20-year-old Ben Olivero died of an opioid overdose after a long struggle with addiction. After his death, his mother Tina thought about what they had gone through.

“I said, ‘Who do I need to be?’ Who did I want next to me when I was going through all of that? And I became that for other parents and families and people with addiction,” she said.

So, Olivero founded Guardians of Recovery, a foundation which focuses on helping addicts recover and giving support to their families. Olivero said they have helped 49 addicts get into recovery thus far, and have helped hundreds of families.

Olivero has met with John Abbott, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, on a weekly basis to try to figure out how to address the addiction crisis the province is facing.

“We have overdoses every single day,” she said. “And that’s a huge message to get out there because I don’t think people realize, while not everybody dies, we are still having two or three overdoses per day in this province, if not more. We don’t even know how many because the Province hasn’t accurately calculated. But when we follow the obituaries, we follow the number of calls, you can hear the sirens downtown constantly, we know.”

Olivero said statistics show the leading cause of death in Canadian youths aged 10 to 19 is illicit drugs.

According to Olivero, most of the shelters in this province are “low barrier,” meaning there is no barrier to enter. So, the use of drugs on the property is not prohibited. While these facilities are good in that they allow homeless people to get off the streets, she said, they are not good places for an addict.

“When all of our shelters are low barrier, for someone who wants to actually get sober and (seek) recovery, it’s virtually impossible to do it in that environment because you’re surrounded by people who are all still using drugs,” said Olivero.

There is no incentive to recover in low-barrier shelters, she added, noting the foundation has worked with people who relapsed in such shelters in the past.

“It becomes a centre and a hub of drug use,” Olivero said.

While Ben’s initial addiction was to cannabis, Olivero said he acquired an opioid addiction while in a low-barrier shelter.

“If there’s no requirement for sobriety, and there’s a lack of accountability, and we normalize substance use, and there’s limited resources for recovery programs, twelve-step programs, that kind of thing, we’re actually enabling addiction in those facilities,” said Olivero.

She asserted that while there is a role for these shelters, they cannot be the only available option.

Olivero said many addicts have a condition known as anosognosia, an inability to recognize sickness in oneself. It is also common in people with other mental conditions such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and dementia.

“If we have anosognosia running in the background and people are never tested for it, they can’t see that they’re sick,” said Olivero. “This is critical because we have people on the streets with severe mental illness like my son, Ben.”

Olivero would sometimes find her son outside on cold nights in only  a T-shirt, not realizing he was freezing to death. She said diagnoses of such conditions are crucial to the recovery process.

“I don’t believe in what people call ‘involuntary care,’ I believe in diagnostics,” said Olivero. “As soon as you diagnose someone and know that they have anosognosia, there’s no such thing as involuntary care. There’s only care for someone who can’t see that they’re sick.”

Olivero said when she created Guardians of Recovery the goal was not just to help people, but to build a world or a culture that supports an inclusive recovery system. That includes sober living homes, and supportive and drug-free alternatives to low-barrier shelters.

But not having had much knowledge about how to do that, she started a Guardians of Recovery podcast to talk with knowledgeable people and leaders on such issues. She found individuals who were succeeding with sober living homes and therapeutic programs, such as Earl Thiessen, who is the executive director of the Oxford House Foundation, an Alberta-based organization that provides sober living homes to people in recovery. Thiessen currently runs 27 sober living homes. Alberta is also the only province to have successfully interceded in the trajectory of overdoses thus far, said Olivero, the only province in which the rate of overdoses is going down.

“It’s because they do have such a recovery mindset and a powerful recovery system,” said Olivero.

Guardians of Recovery presented the protocols Thiessen has developed, along with a sober living home proposal, to government. Like low-barrier shelters, sober living homes will have to be funded by taxes, she said. Olivero wants to call them Ben Olivero Sober Living Homes.

“I built it in such a way that I knew if Ben walked in the doors there, he would still be alive today,” said Olivero. “And that’s what I’m hoping for other people.”

Olivero said society is neglecting drug addicts, because it doesn’t recognize it as an illness.

“We do this because people don’t understand that addiction is not a choice,” said Olivero. “Addiction is a brain illness.”

Ben was an honours student until he smoked marijuana for the first time. That “unlocked” his bipolar disorder and anosognosia. “It’s not something he chose,” Olivero said. “It was something he was genetically born with.”

Olivero said we must make society inclusive for those suffering from addiction, just as we have made it more inclusive for people with disabilities. “Then, and only then, will we be able to turn the crisis around the way they have in Alberta,” she said.

Olivero said it is a great time for anyone interested in volunteering to get involved with the foundation. For sober living home counselors, they are looking for people with lived experience and who have been sober for a long time. The foundation also needs financial contributions. Everyone involved in Guardians of Recovery, including Olivero, are volunteers. However, she admitted, this is not sustainable, and eventually the foundation will need to offer paid positions. They plan is to do so once they get their charitable status, which they are in the process of seeking. Once they have it, Olivero said, the foundation is going to focus on getting laws changed so that people with mental health problems and addiction are properly supported, have a national voice, and access to sober living homes across Canada and, first and foremost, across Newfoundland and Labrador.

“I don’t know one person who’s not impacted by the addiction crisis, whether it’s alcohol or illicit drugs,” said Olivero. “It’s not going away and it’s not getting better, so it’s going to take the whole province to take it on the way I did. I’m taking it on like this is my personal responsibility to fix this. And if I don’t, who will?”

Olivero said if everyone adopted this same mentality, the crisis would be rectified in good time. She encourages people to look at themselves and think about what they bring to the table and how they can make a difference. “We’re powerful people,” she said. “If we all step forward and do something, we can change the trajectory of where we’re headed.”

            Anyone interested in supporting the shelter, learning more, or availing of its resources can visit guardiansofrecovery.foundation. On the website you can find a podcast, blogs, a magazine, and more. You can also watch episodes of the podcast on the Guardians of Recovery YouTube channel.

Tina Olivero is trying to rally Newfoundlanders to make the government deal with the province’s opioid addiction crisis. She is hoping to see safe, sober living homes established to help people in memory of her son who was lost to addiction.

The post Giving it her all appeared first on The Shoreline News.

The changes would have given the legislature the power to fire the auditor general without cause, and given the attorney general the ability to seal any report from the auditor general, keeping it from the public.

The post Premier Tim Houston backs down from legislation to take away the independence of the Auditor General’s office appeared first on Halifax Examiner.

By Olivia Bradbury/Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Eric Jerrett, 81, of Bay Roberts was one of 10 individuals to be presented with an Inaugural Premier’s Medal for Heritage by Premier Andrew Furey during a special ceremony on December 9.

“It’s an honour to accept this, and I accept it with great humility on behalf of the many wonderful, committed people that I worked with over the years,” said Jerrett. “Most notably would be my wife, Betty, who is just as deserving of the award as I am.”

Jerrett grew up in Clarke’s Beach, and left home at the age of 15 to attend university, where he earned an engineering degree. Later he settled in Bay Roberts, his wife’s hometown. Though they grew up only four miles apart, the two did not meet until Eric’s third year of university. The couple married after four and a half years of dating, and have now been together for over 64 years. Jarrett started his own engineering firm in 1971 and, until he retired, was the only person in Canada licensed to practice three professions – engineering, architecture and land surveying – in addition to acting as a notary public.

Jerrett always had an interest in history and culture, especially that of Newfoundland. In university he had summer jobs with what is now the Coast Guard, travelling around the island surveying lighthouse sites.

“In all those communities, they all had particular culture, and heritage, and stories,” said Jerrett. “I got very much intrigued by some of that.”

In various places he witnessed a phenomenon that troubled him – people coming from outside the province to buy up antiques at low cost. His wife observed the same in Bay Roberts, and also noticed people replacing their classical furniture with modern equivalents, as well as old buildings being torn down and replaced with modern ones. As a result, Betty created the Bay Roberts Heritage Society in 1989.

One of the first big projects undertaken by the Society was the Shoreline Heritage Walk, completed from scratch with no funding from the town. Jerrett explained that, after the cod moratorium, one could apply to get money for green projects, the condition being that they hire fishermen and train them to do the work. The committee did just that. By the end, Jerrett said, one of the project’s best workers was a woman who had previously worked at a fish plant. Another trainee went on to work with the Johnson Foundation, making a career of it. The Society later added outhouses at locations along the trail, which Betty would supply with materials and clean herself.

In 2002, the Society received the Manning Award of Excellence for the Shoreline Heritage Walk, and in 2010 turned the trail over to the town. Signs noting the trail was established by the Bay Roberts Heritage Society have since been removed.

Jerrett said he once came across a book written by an Australian author, who listed a thousand trails a person should walk in their lifetime. Three Canadian trails were listed, with one being the Shoreline Heritage Walk.

Another big project undertaken by the Bay Roberts Heritage Society was the restoration of the Cable Building. The building was built in 1912 and served as the Western Union Company Headquarters. As a telegraph station, it was protected in both World Wars by three different forces. Cable lines were private and therefore more secure than radios. There was a direct line between the president of the United States and Winston Churchill, as well as one between the Ottawa headquarters and the Canadian command in Europe. The Western Union had its operations there until the 60s, by which point new technology had rendered telegraphs obsolete.

Over the years, the building fell into disrepair. A real estate company put it up for sale for a quarter of a million dollars, but there were no offers. Jerrett met with the three partners who owned the building, warning them that if they continued to wait for a buyer eventually the building would have to be demolished, which would be costly. The partners agreed, and handed it over to the Society for a tax receipt.

The Society would alter receive a green project grant to restore the Cable Building, hiring and training more fishermen. While there were some professionals on the job, including an electrician and plumber, the rest of the workers were these trainees. The Society received an award for the building’s restoration, and the building was eventually designated by the National Historic Sites & Monuments Board of Canada—though not without some elbow grease.

“The application was rejected on the basis that the Board had already designated some ‘communication’ sites,” he explained. “I did some research on these site and then showed why our site was more deserving. The Board then engaged a consultant to do a report on the building for consideration by the Board. Lastly, I was given the opportunity to argue my case to the Board. The end result was an approval by the Board which then  had to be ratified by the Minister. The plaquing ceremony took place on August 2, 2010, five years after the initial application.”

The Society also operates the Road to Yesterday Museum, which depicts the commercial history of the town of Bay Roberts at the turn of the century twentieth century. It has been visited by people from all over the world, and Jerrett says some experts have told Society members it is the best community museum they have ever seen.

Betty was chair of the Bay Roberts Heritage Society for twelve years, after which Eric was chair for twenty-one years. Last year, Eric was succeeded by former Bay Roberts mayor Philip Wood. The couple is still involved in the Society, with Eric acting immediate past chair and Betty acting as a director.

Engineer and historian Eric Jerrett, left, receiving his Heritage Medal from Premier Andrew Furey

The post Man of many talents among those recognized with special medal appeared first on The Shoreline News.

Nova Scotia’s Premier is withdrawing proposed amendments to legislation that would allow the province to fire the auditor general without cause.

Last week, the province tabled a bill that would make it so the government could fire the auditor general without cause and would allow the province to decide if reports can be made public.

The move drew swift backlash from many, including Kim Adair herself, who said the proposed changes threatened her independence and permits the government to veto the release of any report it doesn’t like.

But on Monday, Premier Tim Houston put out a statement, withdrawing the proposed amendments.

“After discussions with the Nova Scotia Auditor General and her team, I am no longer supporting the proposed amendments,” he said. “This afternoon, I asked the legislature to withdraw them.”

Houston went on to say he has nothing but respect for the auditor general and looks forward to continuing their working relationship.

Meantime, Adair said she appreciates that the Premier is withdrawing the amendments to the Auditor General Act.

“The groundswell of support for the work of the office has been overwhelming and appreciated since the bill was first tabled a week ago,” Adair said in a statement. “And now we look forward to getting back to work; focusing on producing impactful audit reports for the people of Nova Scotia.”

Work in Progress/By Ivan Morgan

There are not a lot of benefits to growing old. More aches, more pains, less mobility – the list goes on. If there is a benefit, it might be perspective. It might be the wisdom that comes from being around a long time.

Case in point. Government just released a long-term care and personal home review. In plain English, a review of old age facilities. I read it. It’s depressing on so many levels.

It’s depressing because its full of pointless professional jargon that masks the issues. The word blather would not be out of place here. I am sure the language means something to someone with a degree in blather, but it’s not much use for people who speak plain English.

It’s depressing because being academic and “professional” in its wording, it has no humanity, even though the irony is it’s a report about caring for people.

It’s depressing because the social “sciences” have made the most human of things – growing old – a pseudo-science. It’s depressing because others have made it a business, where they can make money for themselves. In the middle of this mess are a lot of unhappy people – the residents.

I’ve been reading reports like this for decades. Like so many other government reports, you paid for it, very few will ever read it, it will gather dust and, most depressingly, nothing will change.

Why do I think this? Almost four decades ago I worked on a similar project. I worked for a private human rights organization that received funding to devise and write a bill of rights for persons requiring long term care. Things weren’t great for a lot of residents back then and we were tasked with finding out what, why and how to address the problems.

I remember it well. I was just a young fellow and was not prepared for the reception we received. In most places where we set up meetings we were met as liberators. To say residents were angry was an understatement. Complaints about food, staff, recreation and quality of life were foremost. They thought we would be able to do something for them. Turns out we couldn’t.

If you read the current report, it appears things aren’t great for residents now, 30 years on.  Nothing has changed.

To be fair, back then I was in plenty of facilities which were charming, cozy and caring. I was also in more than a few hell holes.

Our society venerates youth, values young people but doesn’t seem to really know what to do with you when you’re old and need help. Many families know what to do, and those who belong to them are lucky.

The not-so-lucky, the vulnerable, tend to end up in these facilities. One thing I have learned over the years is vulnerable people in our society often don’t get treated very well.

The bill of rights we wrote so long ago was received by the “industry” with amusement and disdain. The “rights” we wrote about, which all came from situations told to us by residents, were dismissed as unrealistic. Rights like the right to privacy, the right to form relationships, the right to have a say in the running of the place you are paying for. Normal stuff.  (Anyone who wants a copy of our “Bill” need only email me – I will send you one.)

I am proud of the document we wrote. I think it stands up today. I am not proud of the fact we didn’t make a difference for the many people who looked to us for help. I remember my boss talking to the media, asking government to stop calling long term care facilities “homes” – because they’re not. As a cute media hook, we claimed if you can’t bake bread in it, it isn’t a home. Politicians and owners were quick to shout us down.

I am sure the people who wrote the latest report meant well, but it made me angry and sad. The data buried in the graphs and jargon speak volumes to anyone who cares to read it. My guess is they won’t. The academics will keep on creating stupid acronyms (my fav? MAPLe – Method for Assigning Priority Levels – whatever that means), the owners will keep on making as much money as they dare, and government has a report they can wave around if they are accused of doing nothing.

And the residents? Read the report. You won’t like the answer.

Ivan Morgan can be reached at [email protected]

The post Government is failing the seniors once again appeared first on The Shoreline News.

By Roger Bill

The bills for Gerry Byrne’s $171,000 sponsorship of a bottom-rung British soccer team are quietly accumulating. On October 1, 2024 the Canadian Taxpayers Federation filed an ATIPP request for information about the cost of the government’s participation in three U.K. “Job Shows,” a meeting with officials at the office of the High Commissioner of Canada in the U.K, and the attendance of Minister Byrne’s successor, Sarah Stoodley, at a Barrow AFC soccer game.  In response, on January 28 the government released 52 pages of documents.

 Minister Stoodley’s Deputy Minister and Assistant Deputy Minister received “Official Journey Authorization” of $8,000 each for what was two days of travel and seven nights in hotels in the U.K. 

Rooms at the Mariott in London topped out at 368 GBP per night (that’s $653.90 Can). The Holiday Inn in Barrow was much cheaper at 102 GBP. Of course, comparing London to Barrow is like comparing New York to Fredericton, which is about the size of Barrow. 

The cost of booths at three “Job Shows” was $26,547. Presumably that is money the Department of Immigration, Population Growth and Skills would spend on immigration attraction events whether the address for the provincial government’s name and HomeAwaits website address was displayed on the Barrow jerseys or not.

What is more interesting than learning that a St. John’s airport taxi cost the Minister $40 is the reading the background communication among officials in preparation for the U.K. trip. 

For example, the Canadian High Commission asked the Department what its goals and objectives were in asking for a meeting. Part of the reply was,  “This visit is part of efforts we have underway to support international recruitment, which includes leveraging our recently announced partnership with Barrow AFC.” 

And the rationale for that partnership?

Rationale #7 in a September 17 Meeting Note reads, “Sponsoring a League 2 team is an innovative, and cost-effective way to reach all these people… Each Barrow AFC game has the potential to reach 22.5 million people through streaming services, and the Barrow AFC X (Twitter account) gets 4 million impressions per month.”

Of course, buying a lottery ticket has the potential of making someone a millionaire and X (Twitter) “impressions” are not unique visitors.

Oh, and the day of the game? The September game-day “Itinerary” includes the notation, “Refreshments served 90 minutes before kick off in Chelsea Boardroom (Minister, Sharlene, Katie). Light refreshments also provided in the guest lounge of the Harris Suite. Dress code: smart casual (collar, no jeans or sneakers).”

The “Sharlene” and “Katie” in the Itinerary note are Deputy Minister Sharlene Jones and Assistant Deputy Minister Katie Norman. There is no indication of what the bar bill was for the 90-minute reception before the kickoff. 

The Department’s enthusiasm for the Barrow sponsorship in September was high. The Minister was boasting that the HomeAwaits website was getting 50,000 visits a day. The Minister told the Canadian Press the number was 50,000 a day. She said the same thing to the BBC and the New York Times. Then she went to the U.K. and met with senior bureaucrats at the Canadian High Commission and said the same thing again. Then, in November The Shoreline reported that the Department’s numbers were wildly inflated. The number was more like 700 visits a day, maybe. 

One note in the documents released to the Canadian Taxpayers Federation is a list of “Key Messages” for the Minister and her officials to carry into the High Commission Meeting. One message was, “When we announced the sponsorship agreement with Barrow AFC in June, we knew they were an up-and-coming club in the English Football League.”

Up-and-coming? In the 2023/24 season Barrow finished 8th in a league of 24 teams. The club proudly bearing the Province’s name fell 10 spots in 2024/25 and finished in 18th in the league ending with a record of two wins and four losses in their last six matches.  

The post How to net a barrow full of bills appeared first on The Shoreline News.

By Mark Squibb

Holyrood councillor Steve Winsor said the ‘gateway signs’ welcoming folks into town may be replaced in the near future.

“The gateway signs as you come into our town are in poor condition,” said Winsor, who said the plywood signs have begun to rot.

Winsor said if the signs are going to be dilapidated, it’s better to not have signs at all.

“So, we’ve asked staff to get a plan together, and to get an estimate,” said Winsor. “It’s not an urgent thing, like fixing a waterline break — that’s urgent. But it is something that’s important. We’ve got to make sure that we improve it at the right time, for the right cost, and so staff is going to get a little bit more information for us, and we’ll bring it back to council… I would recommend it, but let’s get the numbers first.”

The post Holyrood looking to replace its gateway signs appeared first on The Shoreline News.

By Olivia Bradbury/Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Spaniard’s Bay council had agreed to consider the creation of a dog park for the canine-loving residents of town and their pets.

The idea got an airing at council’s February 4public meeting following a request from a resident of Tilton.

To give the matter some context, Deputy Mayor Tammy Oliver pointed out there had been a committee meeting the week before to discuss potential spending initiatives for the Town’s gas tax money. A list of possible initiatives was compiled during that session, she added. As for the idea of a dog park, Oliver said it is a great one, whether it gets established in the area suggested by the resident or somewhere else in town.

“The need seems to be growing,” said Oliver, who surmised the most expensive part of such a project would be the fencing.

Councillor Darlene Stamp cautioned against making any decision about a dog park just yet.

Oliver agreed, but said a dog park was on the list of possible initiatives the Town could invest in. Stamp admitted a dog park is a good idea, but pointed out she and councillor Sherry Lundrigan were not at the gas tax meeting and therefore unaware of the other initiatives discussed.

Stamp said all of council should discuss where the gas tax money will go, and she would like to see the list of initiatives.

Councillor Lundrigan, a dog-owner herself, also agreed that a dog park is a good idea but argued there could be an issue in establishing one near a playground, referring to the location suggested to council by the Tilton resident.

Councillor Eric Jewer added that some people might not want a dog park next to their house due to potential noise.

While no decisions were made regarding a dog park, Mayor Paul Brazil said it is something the Town will continue to explore.

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By Craig Westcott

Members of CBS council paid their respects last meeting to three well known citizens who recently passed away; Caroline, better known as Carrie, Gosse, was the wife of former mayor Richard Gosse, but also a well-known personality in her own right; Randy Walsh, a quiet but effective former longtime manager of the Kelligrews arena; and George Goobie, a businessman and community volunteer.

“I want to extend my condolences to the families of Richard Gosse and Deputy Mayor Andrea Gosse on the passing of Carrie, who many in CBS have known for years and years,” said councillor-at-large Christine Butler. “She was a wonderful lady. I knew her also and I just wanted to say I’m very sorry to hear of her passing.”

While her husband Richard was busy as the sometimes colourful and occasionally controversial mayor and public figure, Carrie carved out a public figure of her own though her church work on behalf of All Saints Parish in Foxtrap, as a leader with the Girl Guides, and as a founding member of the CBS Figure Skating Club and the Foxtrap Softball Association. She was also an executive member of the Foxtrap Senior Hockey team, Secretary of the 1996 Summer Games Host Committee and a member of the CBS Ladies Fastpitch League. Gosse was also the first woman to serve as an umpire in local men’s senior softball, and according to her obituary posted on Hickey’s Funeral Home’s website, “she never backed down from a call.”

Gosse was also a CBS Citizen of the Year, and with her husband helped build Sun Construction into one of the biggest and busiest road construction and excavating companies in the province during the 1980s and 1990s.

Gosse left to mourn a wide circle of family and friends, including her daughter-in-law, Deputy Mayor Andrea Gosse, who is married to Richard and Carrie’s son Tony.

Deputy Mayor Goose is also related to Goobie, whom councillor at-large Paul Connors pointed out was a respected businessman and community volunteer. Goobie was the deputy mayor’s uncle.

Connors noted the passings marked a weekend of losses for CBS.

“Plus, we also lost a guy who anyone who went to the Robert French Memorial Arena saw Randy Walsh up there for 38 years,” Connors said. “He ran the facility, was the manager, he did almost everything up there. I think the only thing he never did was sharpen skates. Peter Nugent took care of all the sharpening of skates. But he was a longtime employee of the Town, and he was recognized by everybody. I just want to pass along condolences to his wife Diane and their children and (to the other families) on those passings.” Walsh too had a large circle of family and friends. In addition to working at the Kelligrews rink where he started off looking after the equipment that makes a rink run, before eventually becoming assistant manager and then manager, Walsh was a member of the naval reserve and an avid outdoorsman. He was respected by his colleagues for his quiet and cool compete

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By Mark Squibb

A watermain break near Taplin Place along Route 60 on February 1 resulted in water being shut off from Salmonier Line to the Harbour Main-Chapel’s Cove-Lakeview boundary for the better part of the day.

The water was shut off at noon and not turned back on until 7 p.m. that night.

Councillor Steve Winsor said the incident was unfortunate, and he thanked residents for their patience, especially as some of the affected housesholds are heated by hot water radiation.

He applauded Town staff for working through miserable weather conditions. He also applauded staff for keeping residents updated throughout the repairs.

Councillor Sadie King, who lives in the area, also praised the work of staff.

“I observed firsthand what happened this weekend, it was right in front of my door,” said King. “I had just come back from the library, and went in my house, and few minutes after that, it was like a ranging torrent going down Holyrood hill. Water and rocks were going everywhere. And only for the quick action of our public works staff, there would be two driveways gone. It was really, really raging.”

She said workers were on scene for nine hours in cold, wet conditions.

“I hope our residents are as impressed with them as I am,” said King.

Council will discuss the incident, and the town’s response, again in further committee meetings.

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By Mark Squibb

Opposition Health Critic and Conception Bay South MHA Barry Petten says addressing concerns with the province’s healthcare system needs to be government’s top priority in 2025.

“We talk about cost of living and housing and affordability and seniors’ issues, and they’re all very, very important, but to me, healthcare dominates the conversation,” said Petten. “It’s been an issue for many years now and it’s not getting any better.”

Petten, who said not a day goes by that he doesn’t hear about problems in the healthcare system, noted that recent statistics suggest Newfoundland and Labrador pays more per capita for healthcare than any other province.

“People are losing faith,” said Petten. “This government has been in power now for a long time, about 10 years. And healthcare has never been so bad, and we’ve never spent so much money on it. So, go figure.”

The member has made headlines raising concerns over ambulance response times and government’s ‘fit to sit’ policy, which sees patients who arrive by ambulance waiting for medical care, but said the family doctor shortage is the number one issue plaguing the system.

Petten wonders how many people have avoided going to emergency rooms to avoid waiting for hours and have suffered for it.

“I hear it all the time, ‘I’m not going out to the emergency room and waiting for a day,’” said Petten. “It’s a sad state of affairs.”

He said government needs to recruit doctors-to-be while they are still studying rather than trying to recruit them once they’ve already left the province for greener pastures. To that end he suggested government could pay to cover a portion of education costs once a doctor-in-training has committed to staying within the province for a certain number of years.

Petten said government also needs to sit down and speak with residents about their healthcare concerns.

“We hear too many stories of government ‘doing first and asking later,’” said Petten. “It needs to be the other way around.”

Another big issue on Petten’s mind as the business of government ticks through a new year is the new Churchill Falls deal with Quebec.

Members of the PC Party abstained from voting on the memorandum of understanding this past January, choosing instead to walk out of the House of Assembly.

Petten defended that move.

“We abstained from the vote, and you’re not permitted to stay in the House unless you vote yes or no, so we had to physically leave the House, as much as I didn’t like that option,” said Petten. “So, we had no choice. We had to physically remove ourselves form the House to abstain… We abstained for a reason. We couldn’t support it, and we couldn’t vote against it, because we didn’t feel that the proper analysis was done.”

The Party has been critical of the Liberal government’s decision to appoint consumer advocate Dennis Browne as chair of an oversight panel, citing Browne’s ties to the Liberal party, and have called for Justice Richard LeBlanc to be appointed to provide oversight.

Petten made reference to Hydro-Quebec vice-president Dave Rheaume being quoted in the Quebec media as saying the deal is similar to the 1969 deal.

“When I hear ‘same deal as ’69,’ I’m concerned, and every Newfoundlander and Labradorian should be concerned, because we cannot have a repeat of ’69,” said Petten. “So, that’s why we abstained. I have zero regrets. In my opinion it was a courageous decision.”

And while the provincial election, at the time of writing, has not yet been called, folks have been anticipating an election call any day now since December. Petten has already committed to running again in the 2025 election, and said it is an honour to represent his community.

“Everything I do is to help my hometown,” said Petten. “How many people can say that about their jobs?”

He said the PC Party is prepared for the writ to dropped — whenever that may be.

Petten said replacement of Frank Roberts Junior High School and the establishment of a health care facility in CBS remains a top priority for him.

Conception Bay South MHA Barry Petten says he doesn’t know when the election will be called, but he and his fellow Progressive Conservatives will be ready to challenge the governing Liberals.

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Maren Pitcher, centre, was pretty excited to drop the puck for the ceremonial opening face-off between the Queen Elizabeth Pioneers and Holy Spirit Falcons high school girls hockey teams in the first game of the Annie Parsons Shield at the CBS Arena in Kelligrews. Pitcher is the granddaughter of the late Annie Parsons. Falcons captain Maggie Strong, left, took the draw with Pioneers captain Kate Tippett as, in the back, from left, councillor Rex Hillier, Conception Bay South MHA Barry Petten and councillor Melissa Hardy looked on. The Shield series is one of the highlights of the annual Winterfest in CBS celebrations. Craig Westcott photo

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LONDON (AP) — A British lawmaker who punched out a constituent in the street while in a drunken rage was sentenced Monday to 10 weeks in prison.

Mike Amesbury, 55, a member of Parliament who was suspended by the ruling center-left Labour Party after the altercation last year. He pleaded guilty in Chester Magistrates’ Court to assaulting a 45-year-old man.

Amesbury is the first sitting member of Parliament imprisoned since 2019 when Fiona Onasanya was jailed for three months for lying to police about a speeding ticket. At the time, she was the first sitting MP jailed in three decades.

Amesbury was walking to a taxi stand in Frodsham, a small town in northwest England, in the the early hours of Oct. 26 when Paul Fellows complained to him about a local bridge closure, prosecutors said. He had been in town earlier for a meeting about policing and community safety.

Surveillance camera footage showed Amesbury punch Fellows in the face, knocking him into the street. He then stood over him and punched him at least five more times until passersby intervened.

“You won’t threaten your MP again will you?” Amesbury said, using profanity and calling him a “soft lad.”

Both men had been drinking before the incident, a judge said.

Although Fellows wasn’t seriously injured, Deputy Senior District Judge Tan Ikram said he’d handled cases where people died after a single punch.

Defense lawyer Richard Derby said Amesbury’s actions were out of character and any sentence would not be greater than the stain on his reputation. But the judge rejected a plea to let Amesbury walk free, saying he needed to be punished and serve as a deterrent to others.

“Unprovoked drunken behavior in the early hours in the streets is too serious to be dealt with by unpaid hours of work, let alone a community order,” Ikram said. “It is only good fortune that the victim falling onto the road suffered only minor injuries and that you were stopped from going further by members of the public.”

Derby unsuccessfully tried to appeal the sentence after his client was led away by court guards.

Opposition parties called for Amesbury, who represents the constituency of Runcorn and Helsby, to resign. He risks being ousted from office and facing a special election if 10% of his constituents back a recall petition.

Brian Melley, The Associated Press

By Mark Squibb

Paradise councillors looking to adopt new rules governing how their public meetings are conducted have sent a draft set of guidelines back to the drawing board.

The Town currently follows Robert’s Rules of Order, a common policy manual, when conducting meetings of council, but the new Towns and Local Service District Act requires the town to adopt a new rules and procedures by-law.

The by-law, explained councillor Larry Vaters during the February 11 committee of the whole meeting, will outline how public meetings are to be conducted, and regulate, amongst other things, the conduct of those in attendance, including members of the public, as well as how members of council debate issues.

Vaters said that, generally, the new by-law, drafted by the Town’s Department of Administration and Corporate Services, is consistent with how council has conducted meetings in the past, but does have some differences.

For one, the new by-law will prohibit the use of cell phones in council chambers.

Councillor Glen Carew applauded limiting cell phone usage in chambers, saying cell phones and other electronic devices are distracting.

“I feel that contact of any kind, on any device, should be prohibited, once the meeting is brought to order,” said Carew. “In addition to cell phones, any other electronic medium for contact should be eliminated, just so that we’re focusing on the matter at hand and doing the people’s business with zero distractions.”

Councillor Patrick Martin, however, felt cell phones should still have a place in the chamber, so long as they are left on vibrate.

“I’ve been on council for almost 12 years, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a situation were we’ve had anybody being on their cellphones,” said Martin. “A scattered time someone has forgotten to turn their phone off and you, your Worship, have reminded them that they need to turn their phones off. I just think that if we totally ban having our mobile devices in chambers there could be a situation where a member of council could have a sick family member… you don’t know what could happen, so I wouldn’t want to see cell phones totally abolished from the council meetings.”

Vaters said that he believed that “cell phones should not be operational within a public meeting of council in any way, shape, or form.”

The by-law also states that no member, without consent of council, can speak more than once or for more than two minutes on any single motion, which Vaters deemed as being quite short.

Previously, under Robert’s Rules, councillors were allowed for to speak for up to 10 minutes on any one motion.

Carew agreed with Vaters that a two-minute time limit is too brief.

The Town’s chief administrative officer, Lisa Niblock, however, pointed out the new by-law applies only to public council meetings, and the time limit would not apply to committee of the whole meetings, which are now also held publicly. Niblock said the intention is that most of any discussion would happen during the committee of the whole meeting, not the council meeting.

To that end, Carew countered that more information might come up, or questions arise, between the committee of the whole meeting and the public meeting that would warrant a longer discussion.

It was decided that staff will review the new policy, make necessary adjustments, and bring the matter back to a committee of the whole meeting before the matter is brought to a public council meeting for a vote.

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By Olivia Bradbury/Local Journalism Initiatives Reporter

Spaniard’s Bay council heard yet more concerns earlier this month from a resident about a set of post office boxes on Brazil’s Hill.

It’s the third time the complaint about the boxes location has been raised at council.

Mayor Paul Brazil said Canada Post was contacted about the previous concerns and came to look at the boxes twice. The federal corporation concluded the complaints were not justified and that the location abides by its safety regulations.

Councillor Darlene Stamp asked whether the boxes could be moved to a safer location anyway.

Mayor Brazil allowed that if the Town did that, one person’s complaint would result in relocating the post office boxes of some 60 to 80 people. He added the Town cannot move the boxes, and can only notify Canada Post about the complaints.

“That’s unfortunate. It is a very bad spot,” said Deputy Mayor Tammy Oliver. “There’s no room to pull in, let alone the ice and snow and everything else that’s there.”

Councillor Sherry Lundrigan agreed the area is risky. “It’s not only dangerous for the people collecting the mail,” she said. “They’ve got workers that go and put mail in the boxes, so it’s dangerous for them, too. There’s nowhere for them to get off the road.”

Mayor Brazil said he has noticed that too, but Canada Post maintains the location does not go against its code.

Stamp asked if the boxes could be relocated a short distance from where they are currently.

Brazil said some people who walk to get their mail might prefer the boxes where they are.

“Do you move them because one person wants them moved? I don’t know,” said Brazil. Lundrigan conceded council would likely need to talk to all the residents who use the boxes before deciding to move them.

Stamp suggested relocating the boxes to the bottom of Ridge Road.

However, Town Manager Tony Ryan informed her that is private property, and the move would require permission from the owner.

“And if they have to go through that intersection, they’ll be complaining another way,” said Councillor Eric Jewer.

Oliver said she would like to know Canada Post’s criteria for postal box locations.

Stamp said she would too, and suggested council inform Canada Post the Town has now received a third formal complaint about the boxes.

Stamp made a motion that council contact Canada Post to ask it to reconsider the location.

“And you do realize, if they do move them, we’re going to get a letter saying, ‘Well, I want my mailbox back where it was to,” said Mayor Brazil.

Stamp replied they can ask Canada Post about the process, which might include getting the approval of the residents who use the mailboxes.

Deputy Mayor Oliver seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.

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